The present invention relates to a new and improved cover breaker assembly and the method of operation of the cover breaker assembly. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cover breaker assembly which may be used to sequentially apply covers to books of different thicknesses or to sequentially apply covers to books of the same thickness.
A known cover breaker assembly has a pair of wings or breaker members which are pressed against opposite sides of a cover on a book, that is, a catalogue, magazine, etc., to shape the backbone of the book. Publishers frequently want to have a book customized for the intended reader of the book. This can result in a greater number of pages being included in a book intended for one reader than in a book intended for another reader.
When it was attempted to use the known cover breaker assembly to sequentially shape the covers on books of different thicknesses, it was found that excessive forces were applied against the thick books by the wings or breaker members, resulting in poor book quality or damage to the cover breakers. In an extreme case, these forces could even crack the base of the known cover breaker assembly.
In an effort to overcome the problems which were encountered in using the known cover breaker assembly to sequentially apply covers to books of different thicknesses, it was suggested that the known cover breaker assembly be modified in the manner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,138. This patent teaches that the thickness of each of the books is to be sensed. The cover breaker assembly is then to be adjusted to accommodate a book having the sensed thickness.